Kieran Maguire asserts that only a complete rebuild of Old Trafford will satisfy all match-going fans – Man United News And Transfer News

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Football finance expert, Kieran Maguire, has claimed that Manchester United should make the sensible choice and rebuild Old Trafford instead of simply giving the iconic stadium a makeover.

According to Football Insider, Maguire claimed that “it would be more sensible for Man United to build a new £2 billion stadium than it would be to renovate Old Trafford”.

The question over what to do with Old Trafford is even more pertinent when a week ago to the day, Sir Jim Ratcliffe was confirmed as the new part owner of the football club.

According to a previous report by Football Insider, the British billionaire is weighing up whether to expand the current stadium to 90,000 seats or opt for a complete rebuild.

The academic believes that not rebuilding the stadium will “will ignore the needs of United’s ‘hardcore’ fanbase. My fear is that if additional money is spent on the existing stadium, it will be mainly focused on the prawn sandwich brigade”.

Maguire goes on to explain that normal match-going fans who have had to put up with “the leaking roof, inadequate catering facilities, archaic toilets” would continue to be marginalised if the stadium is only refurbished.

Were the current stadium to have its attendance extended, “the focus will instead be on building an extra four or five thousand additional seats and trying to ensure that those are at prime prices”.

This is exactly what the INEOS group will want to avoid. The Glazers have been seen for years as only interested in themselves and how to commercialise the club whilst ignoring fans’ needs. A redevelopment that only panders to the richest and ignores the everyday followers would be disastrous and no departure from the American family’s regime.

The finance guru backed up his assertions by pointing to the examples of other top clubs and how new stadiums have breathed life into their projects.

“We’ve seen the transformation happen at Spurs. We’ve also seen the work being undertaken at Real Madrid and Barcelona”.

Manchester United have certainly slipped behind the Spanish giants in recent years and due to the Glazers’ criminal mismanagement of the club, are in serious danger of falling behind teams like Tottenham in the long run, both on and off the pitch.

“While Old Trafford is iconic and historic, it’s not fit for purpose. A 21st-century stadium for one of the most iconic clubs on the planet is the sensible thing to do,” Maguire asserts.

The academic’s opinion is also mirrored by the chief architect of the Red Devils’ investigation into what to do with the stadium. Populous CEO Chris Lee, whose company was also behind Spurs’ new stadium, also claims that “a new stadium will be the most ‘cost-effective’ option for Ratcliffe”.

The Peoples Person relayed the news that Lee believes that “the building is reaching the end of its natural life – the cabling, the electricity supplies, everything is nearing its sell by date. And the interiors are very cramped and difficult in places”.

Moreover, building a new stadium on adjacent land to the current arena is viable and there is the scope to do “something really innovative and exciting. There would be no space constrictions”.

The general consensus amongst experts seems to be quite clear. Rebuild Old Trafford to give the everyday fans and club what they deserve. A 21st century stadium that can be best in class. What better way for the INEOS group to set itself apart from the Glazer regime?